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ESSENTIA L
M A N AGERS

SELLING
ESSENTIA L
M A N AGERS

SELLING
 About this eBook
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Produced for DK by Dynamo Ltd
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Written by Eric Baron

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First published in Great Britain in 2009. This edition

in 2022 by Dorling Kindersley Limited, DK, One Embassy
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Contents
Introduction 6 Chapter 3
Recommending solutions 56
Chapter 1
Building meaningful Using features and benefits 58
relationships 8 Targeting the pitch 60
Offering your ideas 62
Adding value through selling 10 Asking for feedback 64
Addressing needs 14
Appealing to buyers 16
Differentiating yourself 22 Chapter 4
Concluding the sale 66
Chapter 2 Understanding objections 68
Understanding the Collecting the data 72
needs of customers 24 Reframing objections 78
Discussing price 80
Tuning into the client 26 Responding to objections 84
Recognizing needs 28 Closing the sale 86
Planning your approach 34 Moving beyond the close 92
Making your first move 36
Presenting your credentials 38 Index 94
Holding a sales meeting 40 Acknowledgments 96
Questioning for needs 42
Listening to your client 48
Approaching a problem 50
Reviewing needs 52
Running a joint meeting 54
6 / INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION / 7

Introduction
Selling business-to-business (B2B) is one of the
world’s oldest trades, and one that constantly
moves with, and adapts to, broader changes in
corporate practice, human interactions, and
psychology. As any salesperson will tell you,
selling is at the cutting edge of every company.
Without the eyes, ears, and intuition of a good
salesperson, the business itself founders.

Successful salespeople know their products

inside-out – whether these are paperclips,
aircraft engines, or consultancy services – and
can present them capably to their customers.
They also know how to sell both in person and
online, and in an increasingly global marketplace.
But a great salesperson does much more. They
understand their customers’ needs, and bring
a problem-solving mentality and real creativity
to their interactions.

Looking beyond the hard sell, Selling aims to

open your mind, and approach B2B selling in a
different way, introducing the skills that you must
demonstrate every day. It will teach you how to
combine a set of attitudes, behaviours, and skills
in a way that forges long-term relationships with
customers – relationships that add value to the
customer’s business and that yield not just one
agreed deal, but many. Let the journey begin!
Building
meaningful
relationships
People buy from people whom they like, respect, and
trust, so selling is really about building and managing
relationships. The first step is to find out what your
customers expect and demand, and what you need to
do to respond accordingly.
 UE G
V A L E LLI N
G S
D I N GH DS
A D RO U N EE
TH ING ER
S
E SS U Y F
DR OB EL
AD G T R S
LI N OU
P EA I N GY
AP IAT
E NT
R
FE
DI F
10 / BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Adding value
through selling
Offering good products at competitive prices just isn’t enough
to win sales. You can be sure that your best ideas will be emulated
by others sooner or later. Today’s customers expect you to add value
to their business – to address their needs and deliver solutions.

Selling today
Being a successful salesperson today
involves you in collaboration, facilitation,
and a sense of partnership with your
customer. Long gone are the days of
one-way persuasion – the standardized
pitch is considered the lowest level of
selling. Ideas about selling have evolved
rapidly as globalization and instant
communication through social media
have produced more savvy and
demanding buyers. Selling reflects much
wider changes in business and goes far
beyond pushing a product. Today, selling
embraces a wide range of skills – a good
understanding of how organizations work,
management structures, psychology, and
a level of self-awareness.

Tip
THINK CREATIVELY
Don’t limit yourself to
thinking only about your
products and services:
your customers need your
creativity to help solve
their problems.

Globalization and fast
communication have produced
more demanding buyers
ADDING VALUE THROUGH SELLING / 11
Understanding your role
In the past, salespeople could get by
easily; they eloquently told the customer
everything they knew about their
product, explaining why their company
was the best in its field. This approach
may still win you business today in some
areas, but most customers now demand
much more from their salespeople.
They expect salespeople to add value to
their business – to fully understand their
needs and to offer solutions to problems
they didn’t even realize they had.
96%
of buyers find that sellers
who focus on the value
they can deliver influence
their purchase decision
Gaining skills
To succeed, you need to interpret what
your customers tell you, and often
educate them about what’s out there.
Then you need to mesh together the
abilities of your organization with their
requirements for the benefit of both.
You need a measure of curiosity and
good listening skills to uncover what
the customer really needs. And you
must be a brilliant innovator, with the
ability to think originally, and manage
creative processes that find answers.
12 / BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Being a good salesperson

There’s no formula for a great salesperson.
Salespeople tend to
They come from all walks of life and levels of be naturally gifted
society. Salespeople tend to be naturally gifted
problem-solvers. They also share several other
problem-solvers
characteristics that make them likely to succeed:

Thick skin Knowing Generosity Giving credit

how to deal with failure, to others where it is
and understanding that deserved without
even the best lose more reservation or hesitation,
often than they win a and sharing the credit
sale. With experience, without any fear of
most salespeople do diminishing their own
learn how to deal with individual contribution
the inevitable negative to the sale.
responses to their
ideas, as well as how to
control their own innate
emotional responses
to knockbacks.

Willingness to take
risks Putting their
own necks on the
line and entering
unchartered ground
to come up with
unique ideas.
 ADDING VALUE THROUGH SELLING / 13

85%
of the top salespeople
questioned in one survey were
found to be conscientious

Methodical approach
Understand that planning
and follow-up are the
keys to success.

Tenacity Knowing that

they need effort and
determination to tackle
daunting problems.

Resourcefulness
Constantly innovating
and challenging the
existing approaches.
Salespeople work well
in groups and make
the most of the talent
around them.
14 / BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Addressing needs
Selling isn’t a moment of inspiration; it is not about force of argument
or the strength of your personality. It is a process. The process is fairly
easy to understand, but – as you’ll see – hard to do. The techniques
in this book are centred on a process called “needs-based selling”,
so let’s examine its principles and set the scene.

Examining the process Tip

The process of selling needs careful
planning and management. Beginning
a relationship with a new client is the
first phase of the process: you can’t just
approach a potential new customer and
start a sales meeting. The first meeting
needs careful staging, and both you and
your customer need to be prepared.
Presenting confidently
Next, you start the most important part
of the sales process – determining the
customer’s needs. During this phase,
you ask the key questions, listen to what
the customer has to say, identify both the
obvious and less obvious needs, enter into
a meaningful dialogue, and review the
facts you have learned. The determination
of needs drives everything in selling, and
REFRAME THE
SALES VISIT
Think of every sales call as a
problem-solving opportunity.
You are selling more than
products and services; you’re
selling ideas, perspectives,
and insights.
it is only once you have listened to a
customer that you move on to the phase
of the process that salespeople tend to
enjoy the most: presenting their products
and services. This is when you are able
to explain how you and your company
can address your customer’s needs.
You know your products and services
inside-out, and your customers want

69%
to hear how you can help them.

of buyers say sellers could
improve their sales experience
by listening to their needs
Winning commitment
Once you have determined the needs
and made recommendations, it is time
to think about gaining commitment. But
something almost always gets in the way,
and you face resistance to commit.
The customer needs to be allowed to
object – even when they seem ready
to buy – and you must resolve all their
objections if you are to close the sale.

Needs-based selling
Simply put, needs-based selling means
determining a customer’s needs before
you start to propose solutions. Get to
understand the customer by letting them
speak. When it’s time to present, you will
do a better job than those who only display
their products and services and you’ll be
far better positioned to sustain a long-
term relationship with your customer.
Comparing problem solving with selling
PROBLEM SOLVING STEP
01
Set the stage. Provide structure
for the problem-solving session.
02
Define the problem. Review
background information and
solutions already tried.
03
Generate ideas. Provide the
climate where everyone can
contribute creative perspectives
without judgement.
04
Evaluate the ideas and develop
the best ones. Identify the
appealing aspects of an idea,
then list the concerns.
05
Summarize the solution. Put
together a specific action plan.
ADDRESSING NEEDS / 15
Solving problems
Success in selling is linked to
effective problem solving. If you’re
good at one technique, the chances
are that you will excel at the other.
The process of problem solving is
also remarkably similar in its structure
to that of selling. The following chart
shows these similarities at each
stage of the process.
NEEDS-BASED SELLING
Open the meeting. Build
rapport, confirm the agenda,
and prepare the customer.
Determine needs. Engage
with the client and tease out
both their obvious and their
hidden needs.
Present products and services,
by describing their features and
benefits. Impart enthusiasm
and belief in your products.
Resolve objections. Effectively
and sensitively resolve the
objections that customers
inevitably raise.
Close the deal. Agree how
to move forward with your
fulfilment department.
16 / BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Appealing to buyers
Many studies have addressed the central questions of sales – why
do buyers buy? How do customers make decisions? What do they
demand from salespeople? The answers come down to three
discernible behaviours: believing in your position, empathy, and trust.

Establishing your position Making buying decisions

People buy from people who know
their stuff. If the salesperson can’t
consistently demonstrate that he or
she knows what they are talking about,
it becomes almost impossible to buy
anything from them. BELIEVING
Put yourself in the buying role. EMPATHY
IN POSITION
You want to buy some new machinery,
but the salesperson just can’t explain
why model A is better for you than
model B. The chances are that you
will shut down as a customer; in fact,
you’ll probably want to leave and go
somewhere else. Knowing what you sell
inside-out is a given, but your credibility
extends far beyond product knowledge.
You must become familiar with your
customer’s business, industry,
competitors, and marketplace. You
need to be well prepared. It’s not
hard – almost everything you need
to know about your customers and
markets is readily available online.

For many buyers, a

salesperson’s ability to
understand their situation is
the single most compelling
reason why they make the
decision to buy

Tip
SET THE TONE
You don’t have to be funny in
sales, but try to be fun. Be the
person who brightens a room
when they enter, rather than
the person who brightens up
a room when they leave it.
TRUST
APPEALING TO BUYERS / 17
Showing empathy
Empathy is the ability to connect with
someone – to see things from their
perspective. Studies indicate that, for
many buyers, a salesperson’s ability to
understand their situation is the single
most compelling reason why they make
the decision to buy.
Many people think that empathy
depends on similarity of age, background,
experience, or point of view. That’s a myth.
A young salesperson can connect with
someone much more senior if they can
identify areas of mutual interest. It’s not
hard to find common ground. For a start,
both are already in the same business,
even if they are on different sides of the
desk. They may have similar interests
and educations: if salespeople allow the
customer to talk and genuinely show
interest in what they say, the customer
will appreciate the empathy they show.
Without understanding the customer
and showing real interest in what he or
she has to say, a key ingredient in the
relationship will be missing. This will
mean that the salesperson will remain
a mere order taker, at best.
Tip
UNDERSTAND BIAS
Be aware of how unconscious
bias impacts selling. For
instance, “affinity bias” draws
in customers who are like you,
but deters those who are not.
Consider if such a bias may
also be inhibiting you from
talking to valuable clients
who control buying decisions.
18 / BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

CHECKLIST...
Gaining respect by showing respect YES NO

1 Do you show respect for your client’s time by, for example,
responding promptly and concisely to their questions? ................

2 Do you show respect for their business by, for

example, asking before you take notes? .........................................

3 Do you show respect for your competitors?

If you put down one of the client’s existing suppliers,
you are disrespecting the client .......................................................

65%
Building trust
Trust takes a long time to build, but only a second
to lose. To demonstrate that you can be trusted,
you need to be responsive, direct, clear, reliable,
and straightforward. Customers don’t like to be
manipulated and don’t appreciate evasiveness. If
you get caught being dishonest in any way, you will
not only lose that customer, but the ripple effect of of people believe the
your actions will spread far beyond the boundaries
of that relationship. vital factors in company
Always assume that your customer is smart
and give them due respect: don’t play games,
reputation are honest
make sure to deliver on your promises, and avoid
giving any nasty surprises. Follow these simple
business practices and
rules and your customer’s trust will follow in time. trustworthiness
Becoming credible
You know that you are trustworthy, and your customer thinks you
are trustworthy. Good start. Being considered trustworthy and
actually being trusted to fulfil a million-dollar contract are two
different things. US consulting firm Synectics® Inc. carried out
some inspired research that accounts for the difference between
these two concepts – it is summarized in the trust formula:

trust = credibility × intimacy

risk
 APPEALING TO BUYERS / 19

Calculating trust
The trust formula shows that your ability
to demonstrate credibility and build
relationships is directly proportional
to trust. At the same time, it shows that
trust is inversely proportional to the level
of risk the client faces in making a
decision – how much they have to lose.
The top of the equation is within your
control. For sales success, you need
to demonstrate both credibility and
intimacy – which speaks to how
safe and secure it is to work with
you. This involves showing
behaviours such as empathy,
affability, sensitivity,
and likeability.

Demonstrate
that you can
be trusted: be
responsive,
direct, clear,
and reliable
20 / BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Managing risk Risk works against your ability to build

It is the element of risk that is less relationships. To be successful, you
in your control than the ability to must learn to minimize the perception of
demonstrate credibility or intimacy. risk in your client’s mind. Constantly ask

Ways to mitigate risk and build trust

START SMALL
Don’t ask for all the business; ask for a piece
of it. Show the customer your capabilities and
earn more business over time.

IDENTIFY PARALLEL SITUATIONS

Review a similar situation with the customer
and demonstrate how it worked previously.

BUILD IN AN EXIT STRATEGY

Let the customer know there will be a way
to get out of the situation if things do not work
out as planned.

REASSURE THE CUSTOMER

Tell them you’ll be there throughout the
process; if anything goes awry you’ll be
ready to take action if necessary.
 APPEALING TO BUYERS / 21

yourself what you can do to make any fired for buying IBM.” That’s because the
commitments less risky for the customer. risk was much lower in buying from a
In the 1980s, there was a famous well-known firm with a global reputation,
marketing adage: “Nobody ever got than a less-established tech company.

GUARANTEE RESULTS
Offer assurance, or at the very least, guarantee
your commitment to work together with the
customer throughout the process.

SHARE THE RISK

Enlighten the customer about the risk for you.
If things don’t happen as anticipated you’ll pay a
price as well. Convey that “we’re in it together”.

TAKE THE BURDEN

Stand behind what you are doing for the
customer; let them know you will take full
responsibility if things go wrong.

EXPLAIN THE WORST CASE

Make the client aware of all the risks and how
you’ll do your best to keep them under control.
22 / BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Differentiating yourself
Whether you’re selling computer support, pharmaceuticals, or
plumbing supplies, chances are that your competitors offer similar
products at equal or better prices with identical back-up. You need
to do everything to set your offering apart from the others, and
there is no better way to differentiate your company than through
your approach to your customer.

Adding value
To be a success in sales, you should Tip
constantly ask yourself what you can
do to add value to the client relationship.
BE FIRST
Do whatever you can to keep
If all you do is facilitate the supply of
yourself on the customer’s
products and services, you are not
mind, by emailing or sending
adding value – just reacting. Even when
social media messages
you are able to provide good solutions to
and personal notes. Your
known problems, you are still in reactive
customers don’t think about
mode and are not adding much value.
you as much as you think
This begins only when you help the
about them, so ensure they
customer to determine their needs.
think of you first when the
The goal is to move up the value
need arises. But beware not
chain and to become a strategic advisor
to become annoying.
to your customer – someone the customer
calls for guidance, ideas, perspective,
insights, and, quite simply, help. Once
you manage to rise to that level with
a customer, your position is rock solid.

Achieving visibility
Make yourself visible to your customer. To rise
to the level of a trusted advisor and differentiate
yourself from your competition, try to visit your
customers in person whenever possible. This
approach has many benefits: it strengthens the
relationship with your customer; it gives you an
opportunity to learn about their needs directly and
through non-verbal clues; and it enables you to see
first hand who your customer regularly interacts
with in their organization and the many facets of
their work life that otherwise remain hidden.
 DIFFERENTIATING YOURSELF / 23

ASK YOURSELF…
Am I “wowing” my customer? YES NO

1 Are there any relevant articles or pieces of

research that you could send them? ................................................

2 Can you put them in touch with a third party

who can provide something you can’t? ...........................................

3 Do you know of any suppliers who could help

them reduce their costs? ..................................................................

4 Can you help them solve a pressing problem? ...............................

5 Is there a significant personal event that you

could acknowledge?...........................................................................

6 Do you know about a useful conference or event

they may wish to attend? ...................................................................

Surprising your customers

Aim to give your customers something
they did not ask for or expect. Let them
know that you care a bit more than
anyone else, that you are willing to
do things others haven’t even thought
about, and that you are not just
concerned with getting the sale secured.
Sales gurus often talk about delighting
customers with a wow factor. Showing
them you are different can be what
ultimately tips the scales in your favour
when you and your competitor are
running neck and neck.
Understanding
the needs of
customers
Almost every sales professional worth his or her salt
acknowledges the key importance of understanding
their customers’ needs. But what does this really
mean, and how do you achieve it in the real world?
 T
L IEN
H EC
OT
INT S
ING E ED
N GN CH
TU IN R OA
N IZ AP
P
OG R
RE
C OU VE
GY T MO
NIN I RS
AN RF
PL OU
IN GY UR
K YO
MA G ING
N TIN L S E ET
E TIA SM
ES
PR E DE N A LE S
CR G AS E ED
IN R N
LD FO NT
HO I N G LI E
N C
T IO UR
ES YO M
Q U
GT
O LE
I N R OB
N P
TE GA
LIS H I N
AC S
P RO ED
AP NE ING
I N G E ET
W M
E VIE O INT
R AJ
N ING
N
RU
26 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Tuning into the client

The concept of needs-driven or needs-based selling is nothing new.
Corporations have always boasted about their ability to develop
products that address their customers’ needs, and the concept has
been incorporated into sales training programmes for decades.
Why then, is needs-based selling often so poorly implemented?

80%
Breaking the majority rule
“Do you understand all of your customers’
needs?” Most salespeople would answer
“yes” to this question, yet the majority of
their customers would disagree. It’s a sad
fact that most salespeople often fail to
adequately address their clients’ needs and
remain blissfully unaware of the fact. As a
salesperson, you need to understand why
of firms think they
this happens, and what you can do to make deliver a superior
sure that you’re part of the successful
minority of sellers who get things right. experience to
customers
Tip
QUESTION YOURSELF
Think of something you bought recently.
Why did you buy it? What need did you
have? How did the product address it?
How effective was the salesperson you
bought from? Ask yourself questions
like this and your understanding of
customers’ needs will become clearer.

8%
of firms do deliver a
superior experience,
say customers
 TUNING INTO THE CLIENT / 27

ASK YOURSELF...
How do I understand a client’s needs? YES NO

Each time you interact with a customer, ask yourself these types of questions
to put yourself in the right mindset:

1 Do I know what this person is trying to accomplish? ....................

2 Am I sure what they really want from me? .....................................

3 Have they revealed their primary concerns? .................................

4 Have I identified what’s holding them back?...................................

5 Do I know what they get from their current supplier? ...................

6 Do I understand what gaps exist in their current relationship? ..

7 Have I found out why are they taking the time to contact me? .....

Taking your time Assessing with care

So why is it that so many salespeople
respond in a way that their clients don’t
want? The answer is – in part – that they
are too eager. Early in a sales meeting,
they hear a need from a customer and,
with the best of intentions, start to
address it, start to provide a solution.
“Isn’t that what needs-driven selling is all
about?”, you ask. Not exactly: if you hear
a need and respond to it immediately,
it is a little like reading the first chapter
of a book and drawing conclusions
regarding the author’s message. You
know a bit – but just that; the whole story
awaits. Any premature recommendation
is likely to miss the mark, resulting in
a disappointed customer.
Acknowledge that you need
to ask more questions
It takes self-confidence to step back, and
admit to yourself and your client that you
are not ready to make a recommendation
yet. You need to acknowledge that you
do not fully understand your customer
and that you need to ask more questions.
This level of humility does not come
naturally to most salespeople.
Tip
PRACTISE YOUR SKILLS
When you are in non-business
situations with friends or
family, ask yourself what
their needs are relative to
your discussion. It helps you
become better at identifying
needs and can make you a
better friend as well.
28 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Recognizing needs
Before you start questioning your customer to uncover their needs,
it helps to know what these needs might look like – and how they are
likely to present themselves. You’d be surprised at how even the most
seasoned sales professionals have difficulty recognizing needs.

Identifying needs Analyzing all elements

The respected Harvard economist This might indeed be a satisfactory
Theodore Levitt famously said: “People solution, but the salesperson has done
don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. little to understand the customer’s
They want a quarter-inch hole.” In needs. A little analysis and further
other words, people’s real needs are questioning might reveal that the client
sometimes hidden behind apparent has a need to impress and be respected
solutions. A simple example may help by his staff; to act quickly; to carve out
illuminate what Levitt was getting at. time for himself on the trip; to host a
Imagine you own a business travel dinner with some potential clients; and
agency. A customer calls in a panic many other needs besides. Taking this
because he hasn’t booked the trip longer approach has real benefits:
to an overseas conference that he the customer feels understood and
and his team want to attend. You listen valued; he’ll buy this trip from you,
patiently. He’s worried that he’s left the and come back for your guidance
arrangements too late, as the conference and advice, year after year.
starts in two weeks. He tells you that
the trip is hard to plan because his team
has such different needs – one has
mobility problems, one has specific
dietary requirements, and others
want to fit in some sightseeing.
He brags about how the cost is
not his number-one concern. “I know I’ve left it
late, but it has to be
Selling solutions something that keeps
When salespeople hear stories like my whole team happy.”
this, many immediately start thinking of
solutions. “What can we offer him that
will address all his issues? If he wants
to spend more, let’s help him – it’s more
commission for us. ‘What your team
needs, sir, is a luxury five-star
business hotel with full board’”.
 RECOGNIZING NEEDS / 29

63%
of business buyers say
most sales interactions
focus on products rather
Tip
ANALYZE YOUR
THOUGHT PROCESS
Whenever you find yourself
offering a solution to a
customer, ask yourself what
the need is that led to this
solution. You’ll be amazed at
how taking one step back will
leave you two steps forward.

than solutions

People’s real needs are

sometimes hidden behind
apparent solutions

“No problem. Let’s

start by exploring
what you need a little
further. What were the
best things about your
last work trip?” “Catalina and Miguel
want to sample the
local cuisine, but
Juan is a wheelchair
user, and Susana has
food allergies.”
30 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Reading between the lines Tip

Sometimes your customers will tell you exactly
what they need. All you have to do is listen and RECOGNIZE
respond. But if you address only these overt MOTIVES
needs, you are not adding much value to the Look out for
client, and you are doing no more than any of your customers who
competitors would do. Where you can differentiate are risk averse,
yourself – and win the customer’s respect and or who seem to
trust – is by hearing and responding to implied worry about how
needs. So your task is to look for the needs behind they are going to
what the customer is saying. For example, if the appear; they tend
client complains about his boss constantly second to be driven more
guessing him, he may be expressing a need to by personal needs.
have a solid, tightly reasoned explanation for his
buying decisions. Successful sales professionals
know how to uncover these implicit needs –
indeed, it is what drives their long-term success.

68%
of customers
expect brands to
show empathy

Accounting for feelings

Selling would be a far easier task if
customers could be relied on always to
You can differentiate
buy for sound business reasons – such yourself – and win the client’s
as return on investment, quality, value,
and competence. If the buyer always
respect and trust – by hearing
made his or her decision dispassionately, and responding to implied
rather than based on how that decision
made them feel, then reading their
needs. Look for the needs
requirements would be straightforward. behind what the customer says
 RECOGNIZING NEEDS / 31

Business and personal needs

Business needs are measurable while personal needs are subjective. Below
are some examples of each to illustrate the differences between the two.

BUSINESS NEEDS PERSONAL NEEDS

Reduce cost Look good in front of peers

Increase efficiency Gain recognition
Shorten production time Get that promotion
Become more effective Minimize the risk
Increase profitability Boost personal status
Improve turnaround time Decrease stress

Empathizing with clients Tip

All customers – however company-
focused they may be – are to some
BE SENSITIVE
extent influenced by their individual
After each meeting, ask
and personal needs. These needs
yourself what the customer
delve into areas that are harder to
didn’t say. You’ll probably
quantify – security, connecting with
unearth some needs they did
others, ego, and comfort. For this
not consciously know they had.
reason, showing empathy with the
customer will bring you rich rewards.
32 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

How to find out client needs

66%
of customers
expect companies
Introduce and open the
questioning session

to understand Ask the right questions

their unique needs

and experiences
Research on the selling
process points to one
Beginning the questioning
Before you begin to question your client
conclusion: the more
to determine their needs, let them know questions you ask your client,
why you need the information, how it will
benefit them, and how it relates to the
the more success you’ll enjoy
agenda. Explain that by answering your
questions they will:
• Help you focus on the right issues
Tip
• Allow you to make better
recommendations
SELLING BLANKS
• Get an opportunity to outline
their concerns
Approach some sales calls
• Ensure that you learn about them.
They are more likely to be open and
as if you were “selling without
a product.” This forces you to
focus strictly on the client – a
honest with their answers if they
productive habit to get into.
understand the structure of the needs
determination process (see above).

Case study
RIGHT PEOPLE, RIGHT TIME
Founded in 2002, Australian software
company Atlassian was famous for
having no salespeople early in its
existence, and still employs a
proportionally small sales force.
But it doesn’t ignore customer needs
– it’s just careful about how and when
it asks about and addresses them.
The firm’s top concern is getting
people to try out its collaboration
apps, including Jira and Trello, as
easily as possible, offering free
versions and only charging as
Listen for the needs
Review and check the needs
Asking, and asking again
Many pieces of research on the selling
process point to one simple conclusion:
the more questions you ask of your
client, the more success you’ll enjoy – the
person who understands the most needs
is primed to win the business. But the
corollary is that the longer you manage a
relationship, the more likely you are to
RECOGNIZING NEEDS / 33
the number of users and features
increases. It has identified the most
common needs and addresses them
on its website, so most clients never
come into contact with sales. But, it
also identifies big enterprise clients
with more complex requirements
and deploy its sales team. They
then try to understand their needs
and steer their upgrades. As existing
clients, these higher-value customers
are easier to sell to and Atlassian’s
sales resources are deployed
more efficiently.
60%
more profit is
made by companies
that focus their
business activities
on customers
lose sales. That is because, over
time, you become complacent, making
assumptions about the customer rather
than asking questions. That’s why many
salespeople report a falling share
of sales, just when they thought the
relationship was thriving. So you need
to keep asking questions consistently,
methodically, and creatively.
34 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Planning your approach

Most sales managers agree that the margins separating good, very good,
and excellent salespeople are not dependent upon what happens face-to-
face, but what happens before and after the sales process. You may feel
energized and ready to jump straight into a sales meeting with a new
customer, but if you spend time planning the content and thinking through
the process, your chances of success will be greatly enhanced.
Doing your homework Researching thoroughly
The first part of planning is getting your There is no excuse for not knowing what
content right – ensuring that you have all is going on in your customer’s industry
the information you need for every stage and marketplace. There are numerous
of the entire sales process. sources of data that you can access
Start your preparation by determining online to make sure you are prepared,
the objectives of the meeting, both for including – but not limited to – annual
you and for the customer. Once these reports, product brochures, articles,
aims are established, ask yourself what industry magazines, and trade show
you already know about the customer summaries. Check your customer’s
and what you still need to learn. website and try to discover what changes

Planning your approach with questions

WHO?

WHAT?

WHERE AND WHEN?

WHY?

HOW?

are on the horizon in their business. Find
out about their competitors, see what the
marketplace is saying, and understand
what your customers are demanding.
If appropriate, think about what you
want to recommend to the customer, and
the corresponding features and benefits.
Try to anticipate objections, and identify
what the real issues might be and what
answers you may be able to provide.
86%
of B2B buyers expect sellers
to be trusted advisors
○ Who makes the decisions?
○ Who should I see?
○ What questions will I ask?
○ What drives this customer’s decisions?
○ Where is the best place to conduct
the meeting – in person or online?
○ Why is this approach good for
our business?
○ How will I run the meeting?
PLANNING YOUR APPROACH / 35
Preparing the process
Getting the content right is important, but
you also need to plan how to manage the
selling process – the way you deliver
the information. Consider all the stages
of the selling process, from opening the
meeting to closing the deal. Do you know
what you will do and say at each stage
and how you will manage the transitions
between the phases?
Rehearsing well
Feeling relaxed and well prepared is
crucial, so rehearse your presentation
repeatedly, and ask for feedback from
colleagues. Practise delivering your
questions, resolving objections, and
even closing. This will highlight any
areas in which you are less than
confident, and reveal any holes in
the information you need to succeed.
○ Who will do what from our side?
○ What ideas will I suggest?
○ What objections do I anticipate?
○ When would be the most
effective time?
○ Why are we targeting this
specific customer?
○ How can I differentiate us from
our competitors?
36 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Making your first move

It has lots of names – the initial contact, the cold call, the first call, the
canvas, the exploratory call, and others. That first encounter with a
prospective customer can be a daunting, even scary, experience for those
early in their careers. The good news is that this does change over time.

Finding the way in

You can’t set up a first meeting until you
have a lead. Experiment with finding
How to make initial
different sources of leads: impact
• Former customers
• Referrals from existing customers
• Newspaper articles and trade and
industry publications
• Trade shows/symposiums Get the lead
• Online business articles and social
media contacts
• Centres of influence (third parties).
Armed with leads, your key prospecting
tool will be a well-written email. You will
need to send three key emails during the
Make the call and secure
prospecting process; one to introduce
an appointment
yourself, one to confirm an appointment
to meet, and one to follow up the initial
meeting. You may wish to try a traditional
letter for the initial approach – it will set
you apart from the competition. Making an appointment
In some industries, it can be acceptable
just to drop by and ask to see someone,
Tip but you will be more successful if you
obtain an appointment first. Send a
HAVE FUN confirmation email, letting the customer
Try thinking of cold calls as know that you are looking forward
fun: you’ll never know exactly to meeting them, whether in person
what to expect, so be ready or digitally, and confirm the date,
for anything and take pride time, and time allocation. Review your
in your ability to respond own agenda and attach some relevant
to the situation. It’s a new material for the customer to look at
beginning, so be sure to in advance. Encourage them to invite
make it a memorable one. anyone else from their organization
who might benefit from attending.

ATTENDING THE FIRST MEETING
Dos
○ Confirming the meeting in writing
to show interest
○ Being humble – you haven’t dealt
with the client before
○ Doing your homework and
showing what you have learned in
preparation for the meeting
○ Showing appreciation for the
customer taking the meeting
○ Asking lots of questions of the
customer and letting them talk
Write a formal email to introduce
yourself and your organization
Confirm the appointment in
an email
Send a reminder email
Have the initial meeting,
either in person or digitally
MAKING YOUR FIRST MOVE / 37
Don’ts
○ Attending without putting
in the preparation time
○ Showing unfounded familiarity
(it’s only the first meeting)
○ Treating this meeting as if it
were just another meeting
○ Acting as though you are entitled
to the meeting
○ Presenting specific
recommendations
Creating an impression
Your first meeting with a new prospect
may have many purposes – from a
simple introduction to a full-blown sales
pitch. Whatever the reason, stay calm and
begin the process of understanding your
potential customer’s needs. You do not
have to be specific at this stage (although
you should be prepared to present your
company’s credentials – see pp.38–39).
Instead, establish rapport, and let the
customer do most of the talking.
Learn what you can about the
individual and their business. Look
for, and reinforce, common ground.
Are they familiar with your company?
Is there any relevant history between
your organizations that could form
a bond? Do you share interests or
acquaintances in the industry?
Learn about the individual
and their business
38 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Presenting your credentials

Despite your best intentions to focus on the customer’s needs, you will
often find that you are asked to give a quick explanation of who you are
and what you have to offer – a credentials presentation – before the
customer will give you any information about themselves.

59%
Aiming for needs first
A credentials presentation is an overview
of your company, what it does, and how it
adds value to its customers. You need to
be prepared to give a brief presentation,
but if you can avoid having to do so at this
early stage of your relationship with a
new customer, you should: as soon as of sellers in Western
you start talking about how to help them
before identifying and confirming their
Europe say a buyer’s
needs, it becomes more about you than trust is one of the
about them. If your customer says to you:
“Tell me about your company”, it can top two factors for
sometimes work to respond with: “I’ll
be delighted to explain who we are and
closing deals
how we may be of assistance, but I can do
that much more effectively if I learn a bit
about you first.” If the customer agrees,
you can start the needs-determination
process; if not, you will have to make “Our
a credentials presentation. a ra produ
nge cts
of n addr
eed ess
Tip s”
KEEP IT GENERAL
Use the presentation to give a
brief overview of needs you
can fulfil and your offering.
t
Don’t make assumptions
ive some history aboulf
about your customer’s needs G and yourse
the company
and don’t offer a particular
product or service.
 PRESENTING YOUR CREDENTIALS / 39

Getting the message right information – you will (hopefully) get to

A good way to build a credentials
presentation is to use anyone in the
business, not just your sales team,
who wants to contribute. Ask
different members to put themselves
in the position of a customer of your
company, and talk to you about what
they would like to hear. As you build
your presentation, practise it with
the team: discuss how it sounds and
refine it until you get it right.
The key to making a successful
credentials presentation is to keep
it short, and to the point. Don’t
overload the customer with
do that later. Give some history about the
company and yourself as a way to explain
who you are. If you have an interesting
anecdote about how the company started,
don’t be afraid to share it. Aim to tell them
the kinds of things you do and the kinds of
companies you work with, and briefly
outline your success stories. Be careful
to keep what you say consistent with
any other company information – on the
website or elsewhere – that the client
may have read. Discuss needs generally,
and then explain why what you have to
offer can be of value to a company like
theirs. Again, words like “can”, “could”, or
“might” are more appropriate as you have
not yet learned enough about your
customer to get specific.

A credentials presentation is an
overview of your company, what it does,
and how it adds value to its customers

CHECKLIST...
Preparing a credentials presentation YES NO

1 Have you discussed with your team how you

want to position your company to people who
aren’t familiar with what you do? .....................................................

2 Have you used your company’s mission and

vision statements to provide key facts and figures? .....................

3 Have you trimmed your presentation so that it

can be delivered within a few minutes? ..........................................

4 Have you practised in front of a friend or colleague

until you are fully confident in your delivery? ................................
40 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Holding a sales meeting

When you make an appointment to see a client – whether it is your first
or your fiftieth – you are effectively calling a meeting for that customer.
For the meeting to run well, you need to take the initiative, while at the
same time acknowledging that the meeting belongs to the customer –
it must be focused on providing solutions to their problems.

Building rapport
What happens in the first few minutes
of a sales meeting sets the tone for the
entire encounter. It helps to break the
opening down into three critical steps:
building rapport, confirming the agenda,
and moving into the meeting itself.
• Compliment the customer on their
office or facility – but be sincere.
• Discuss
Thank the customer for their time.
• their business
something you know about
– a relevant news
event, for example – to show that
you’ve done your homework.

70%
At the start of the meeting, make
sure everyone is comfortable, knows
who is who, and has a chance to connect
informally. Encourage small talk or
a discussion about general business
conditions. Use your intuition to decide
when to move on – you need to work at
your customer’s comfort level, not your
own. Here are a few ideas to help you get
the conversation off to a good start:
to 80% of B2B buyers
• Look around the client’s office for prefer remote sales
something to trigger conversation,
such as a picture or trophy. interactions post-COVID
In focus
TALK TO THE RIGHT PERSON The following preamble can
Surprisingly, two-thirds of all sales help you check: “I contact many
calls are made to people who do not organizations like yours and
make or implement decisions. everyone has their own way of
Salespeople are often reluctant making decisions. To ensure that
to ask a prospect whether they I don’t waste anyone’s time or leave
are speaking to the person who is someone out of the loop, would you
responsible for calling the shots, please share with me how the
for fear of sounding disrespectful. process works here?”
 HOLDING A SALES MEETING / 41

Setting the agenda Guiding the meeting

Next, you should ensure that everyone
is clear about the objectives of the
meeting. Even though this is a sales call,
it requires a clear agenda, distributed
in advance, that takes into account your
needs and your client’s (remember, it
is their meeting). Give each person the
opportunity to express their interest in
the meeting and what they would like
to get out of it. This is crucial: you may
not realize the status or position of a
participant in your meeting, and run the
risk of missing out on a huge opportunity.
Finally, confirm the amount of time
available for the meeting, and stick
to it. Customers resent people who
overstay their welcome.
Old-style salespeople were loath to
lose control of a meeting, and so did
all the talking and tried to force the
customer on to their agenda. This style
isn’t consistent with a problem-solving
approach to selling. Instead, you should
acknowledge that the meeting belongs
to the customer – you are there to solve
their problems, after all. Your role is
more as facilitator, you need to ensure
that the meeting runs smoothly. Once
you begin addressing issues on the
agenda, ensure that the meeting stays
focused on the stated purposes. Try
to draw out ideas from all participants,
then move the meeting towards an action
plan, and schedule the follow-up.

Roles in the sales meeting

THE SALESPERSON THE CLIENT OTHER PARTICIPANTS

○ Facilitates the
sales meeting
○ May take minutes
○ Participates in
finding solutions
○ Owns the problem
○ May chair
the meeting
○ Participates in
finding solutions
○ Participate in finding
good solutions
○ Contribute problem-
solving resources
42 / UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS

Questioning for needs

Of all the skills demanded of a successful salesperson, questioning

?
remains the most important. This is simply because you can’t hope

?
to understand a customer’s needs without asking questions in

?
a thoughtful, credible, and sensitive way.

?????
?
Running the session

?
When you question a customer at a sales
meeting, you need to keep the session

??
light – think of it as an open discussion
rather than an interrogation. Customers
who are comfortable invariably reveal
more – and more useful – information.
The questions you ask to determine

???? ??
needs fall into three broad categories –
fact-finding questions, needs-oriented
questions, and big-picture questions –
each of which are considered below.

?
There are no hard-and-fast rules
about the types of question you should
ask your customer, but experience
suggests that a ratio of around five
fact-finding questions, to three needs-

?? ? ?
oriented questions, and one big-picture

?? ??
question is comfortable for the client
and achievable for you.

A ratio of around five

fact-finding questions,

?
to three needs-oriented
questions, and one big-
picture question is
comfortable for the client
and achievable for you

Finding the facts
To scope out an account or manage a
relationship, you need some fundamental
pieces of information about the client –
their company structure; number of
employees; their customers, partners,
suppliers; and so on. These questions
may seem obvious, but it’s surprising
how often they are overlooked. The aim
???
?
QUESTIONING FOR NEEDS / 43
of the questions is to elicit information,
so they tend not to be imaginative
(virtually everybody asks them). Most
can be answered “yes” or “no” or with
a fact. But some questions may be quite
provocative, for example, “Who makes
the decisions here?” Questions are
essential, but will not do much to
differentiate you from your competition.
65%
of B2B buyers say they
find it valuable to talk
about their situations
with salespeople
Tip
LEARN FROM THE PROS
Watch the great interviewers
on television. They ask short
questions and don’t give the
person being interviewed
possible answers. They ask
a question and stop talking;
try the same technique.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
I.

Oli sunnuntai. Myrsky, jota edellisen päivän auringonlasku oli

ennustanut, ei vielä ollut tullut, mutta aurinko ponnisteli turhaan esiin
pilviseinän läpi, ja taivaanranta oli mustana.

Täsmälleen kello yksitoista saapui paroni. Hän oli virheettömästi

puettu, kuten tavallista, ja näytti kylmältä ja tyyneltä.

»Minua käskettiin saattamaan teidän ylhäisyytenne tähän

huoneeseen», sanoi Felice osoittaen kammiota.

»Kiitos!… Kuuluuko mitään uutta, Felice?»

»Ei mitään, teidän ylhäisyytenne», sanoi Felice. Sitten hän osoitti

kipsistä kuvapatsasta, joka kohosi nurkassa olevalta jalustalta, ja
jatkoi matalalla äänellä: »Hän viipyi täällä eilisiltana muitten jälkeen
ja…»

Mutta samassa kuului naisen hameen kahinaa ulkopuolelta, mikä

keskeytti
Felicen, ja paroni sanoi äänekkäästi:
 »Tietysti. Sano kreivittärelle, että käyn hänen luonaan ennenkuin
lähden pois.»

Roma astui huoneeseen kasvot synkkinä ja vakavina. Hymy, joka

tavallisesti väikkyi hänen huulillaan ja välähti hänen silmistään, oli
poissa, ja kasvojen ilme osoitti päättävää puolustautumista. Mutta
paroni huomasi heti, että tuon lujapiirteisen suun ja suoraan
katsovien silmien takana piili pelko, jota Roma koetti peittää. Paroni
tervehti Romaa luonnollisen tyynesti, suuteli hänen kättään, tarjosi
hänelle kukan napinlävestään ja vei hänet istumaan nojatuoliin selin
ikkunaan, asettui itse matalalle tuolille sen eteen ja veti veltosti pois
moitteettomat hansikkaansa.

Ei sanaakaan eilispäivästä, ei tuskan eikä moitteen katsettakaan.

Pari tavallista kohteliaisuutta vain, ja sitten hän siirtyi asiaansa.

»Kuinka pitkä aika siitä on, kun viimeksi istuin kahden kesken
sinun kanssasi! Ja kuinka täällä on muuttunut! Sinun suloinen pikku
pesäsi on kuin luostarin koppi! Minä olen totellut käskyäsi, kuten
näet, olen ollut poissa täältä koko kuukauden. Se oli vaikeata —
hyvin vaikeata — ja monta kertaa olen sanonut itselleni, että se oli
ajattelematonta. Mutta olethan sinä nainen. Sinä olit järkähtämätön,
ja minun täytyi alistua. Mutta mitä sinulla nyt on minulle
kerrottavaa?»

»Ei mitään», sanoi Roma katsoen suoraan eteensä.

»Eikö yhtään mitään?»

»Ei kerrassaan mitään.»

 Roma ei liikkunut eikä kääntänyt kasvojaan, ja paroni istui hetken
ja katseli häntä. Sitten hän nousi ja alkoi astua edestakaisin
huoneessa.

»Ymmärtäkäämme toisiamme, lapseni», sanoi hän hellästi.

»Annatko minulle anteeksi, jos minun täytyy palauttaa mieleesi
tunnettuja asioita?»

Roma ei vastannut, vaan tuijotti valkeaan, kun paroni seisoi uunin

vieressä vastapäätä häntä.

»Kuukausi sitten eräs parlamentinjäsen, vastustuspuolueeseen

kuuluva politikoitsija, joka vuosikausia on vaikeuttanut hallituksen
töitä, piti kapinallisen puheen ja joutui tekemisiin lain kanssa. Siinä
puheessa hän myöskin ahdisti minua ja — täytyykö minun sanoa se
— lausui hävyttömiä juoruja sinusta. Parlamentti ei ollut koolla, ja
minä saatoin antaa vangitsemiskäskyn. Hänen osakseen olisi
oikeastaan tullut ehkä vankeus- tai maanpakolaisuusrangaistus,
mutta sinä katsoit soveliaaksi astua väliin. Sinä ehdotit
rangaistuskeinoa, joka oli viisas ja laajalle vaikuttava. Minä myönnyin
ja käskin virkamiesteni hämmästykseksi vapauttamaan vangitun.
Mutta häntä ei siitä huolimatta kuitenkaan ollut päästettävä pakoon,
Sinä otit rangaistaksesi häntä. Mitä viisaimmalla ja vaikuttavimmalla
tavalla sinun piti poistaa hänen loukkauksensa jäljet ja kostaa
hänelle hänen tekonsa. Mies oli suuri salaisuus — sinun piti päästä
tuon salaisuuden perille. Häntä epäiltiin vehkeilemisestä valtiota
vastaan — sinun piti ottaa selko hänen hankkeistaan. Kuukauden
kuluessa sinun piti antaa hänet minun käsiini ja minun piti saada
tietää hänen sielunsa syvimmät salaisuudet.»

Hieman oli vaikea pysyä tyynenä paronin puhuessa, mutta hän

pyyhki vain kiharan otsaltaan ja istui ääneti.
 »Nyt on kuukausi lopussa. Minä olen antanut sinulle tilaisuuden
olla ystäväsi kanssa niin paljon kuin itse halusit ja katsoit parhaaksi.
Oletko saanut selville mitään hänestä?»

Roma vastasi rohkeasti: »En.»

»Siis ponnistuksesi ovat epäonnistuneet?»

»Täydellisesti.»

»Sinä siis luultavasti luovut aikeestasi rangaista tuota miestä siitä

syystä, että hän solvasi sinua?»

»Olen aikoja sitten luopunut siitä.»

»Omituista! Hyvin omituista! Ja hyvin onnetonta myöskin, sillä tällä

hetkellä olemme tulleet käännekohtaan, jolloin olisi kahta vertaa
tärkeämpää kuin ennen, että hallitus saisi kaikki tiedot, mitä sinä voit
hankkia. Mutta sinun suunnitelmasi oli hyvä, enkä koskaan voi olla
kyllin kiitollinen sinulle siitä. Ja vaikka sinun ponnistuksesi ovat olleet
turhat, ei sinun tarvitse hätäillä. Sinä olet antanut meille johtolangan,
joka on saattanut meidän ponnistuksemme onnistumaan, ja sinä voit
vielä rangaista tuota miestä, joka julkisesti solvasi sinua niin
pahasti.»

»Kuinka minä voin häntä rangaista?»

»Todistamalla, että Davido Rossi on eräs henkilö, joka tuomittiin

majesteettirikoksesta kuusitoista vuotta sitten.»

»Tuo on naurettavaa». sanoi Roma. »Kuusitoista kuukautta sitten

en ollut ikinä kuullut Davido Rossin nimeäkään.»
 Paroni kumartui hiukan ja sanoi:

»Oletko koskaan kuullut nimeä Davido Leone?»

Roma vajosi tuoliinsa ja tuijotti suoraan eteensä.

»Tyynny; lapseni!» sanoi paroni hyväillen, meni lattian yli

katsomaan ulos ikkunasta ja taputti Romaa olkapäälle.

»Kerroinhan sinulle, että Minghelli on palannut Lontoosta?»

»Tuo petturi!» sanoi Roma ylenkatseellisesti.

»Olkoon vaan. Ihmisellä, joka uhraa elämänsä saadakseen selville

rikoksia, on useimmiten itsellään rikoksellinen sielu. Mutta sivistys
tarvitsee kadunlakaisijoitakin, ja oli hyvin onnellista, että satuit
ehdottamaan juuri tuota henkilöä. Kaikki, mitä olemme tehneet, on
sinun alkuunpanemaasi, ja kun ystäväsi lopullisesti saatetaan
oikeuden käsiin, saamme siitä kokonaan kiittää sinua.»

Uhkaava katse Roman silmissä hävisi, ja hän nousi tuskan ilme

kasvoissa.

»Miksi kiusaatte minua noin?» sanoi hän. »Sen jälkeen, mitä on

tapahtunut, ymmärtänette, että olen hänen ystävänsä enkä hänen
vihollisensa?»…

»Ehkä», sanoi paroni, ja hänen kasvonsa olivat jäykät kuin

kuolema.
»Istu ja kuuntele mitä sanon.»

Roma istui, ja paroni palasi uunin luo.

 »Sanon että annoit meille johtolangan, kun ilmoitit kolme seikkaa.
Ensiksi, että Davido Rossi tunsi tohtori Rosellin elämän Lontoossa.
Toiseksi, että hän tunsi kertomuksen tohtori Rosellin tyttärestä Roma
Rosellista Kolmanneksi, että hän oli ollut jonkun aikaa viinurina
Grand Hotellissa Roomassa. Pari vähäpätöisempää seikkaa saatiin
selville sattumalta, nimittäin että hän kerran oli ollut tallirenkinä New-
Yorkissa ja että hänen äitinsä hukutti itsensä Tihenin ja että hänet
kasvatettiin löytölasten kodissa. Noiden seikkojen avulla on saatu
selville kahdeksan seikkaa. Salli minun luetella ne.»

Nojautuen uuniin ja levittäen toisen kätensä paroni laski nuo seikat

sormillaan.

»Ensimmäinen seikka. Muutamia vuosia enemmän kuin

kolmekymmentä vuotta sitten eräs vaimo kantaen lasta ilmoittautui
Rooman viranomaisille saadakseen lapsensa merkityksi kirjoihin.
Hän sanoi nimensä olevan Leonora Leone ja tahtoi että poika
merkittäisiin kirjoihin nimellä Davido Leone. Mutta virkamies sai
selville, että vaimon nimi oli Leonora Rossi ja että hänet oli vihitty
kirkollisten menojen mukaan, mutta siviilivihkiminen puuttui. Lapsi
merkittiin siis kirjoihin Davido Rossina, Leonora Rossin poikana, isä
tuntematon.»

»Häpeällistä!» huusi Roma. »Kuinka äärettömän häpeällistä!»

»Toinen seikka», jatkoi paroni muuttamatta ääntään. »Eräänä

iltana hiukan myöhemmin löydettiin erään hukkuneen naisen ruumis
Tiberistä ja hukuttautunut tunnettiin Leonora Rossiksi sekä haudattiin
Campo Veranon köyhäin hautausmaalle tällä nimellä. Samana yönä
tuntematon henkilö oli laskenut lapsen Santo Spiriton lastenseimeen,
ja mukaan oli liitetty paperi, jossa ilmoitettiin sen kastamisesta ja
nimestä. Lapsen nimeksi ilmoitettiin Davido Leone.»
 Paroni löi kolmanteen sormeensa ja sanoi:

»Kolmas seikka. Neljätoista vuotta myöhemmin eräs

neljätoistavuotinen Davido Leone niminen poika asui erään
italialaisen maanpakolaisen kodissa Lontoossa. Tuo
maanpakolainen oli roomalainen prinssi, joka nimitti itseään tohtori
Roselliksi. Hänen perheeseensä kuului vaimo ja nelivuotias tytär
nimeltä Roma. Tohtori Roselli oli ottanut Davido Leonen
ottopojakseen löydettyään hänet kadulta.»

Roma peitti kasvonsa käsillään.

»Neljäs seikka. Neljä vuotta myöhemmin saatiin Milanossa selville

salaliitto, jonka tarkoituksena oli surmata Italian kuningas. Tuon
salaliiton päämies oli onnetonta kyllä tuo Englannissa asustava
maanpakolainen, joka oli tunnettu nimellä tohtori Roselli. Erään
sukulaisen ystävällisestä toimesta hänet lähetettiin maanpakoon
tavalla, jota kaikki valtiot käyttävät salaisissa ja vaarallisissa
tapauksissa, sillä tuo sukulainen tahtoi säästää suvun kunniaa.
Mutta tohtori Rosellin tovereille ja kirjeenvaihtajille ei osoitettu niin
suurta hienotunteisuutta, ja yksi niistä, joka vielä oli Lontoossa,
tuomittiin majesteettirikoksesta kuolemaan piiritystilan aikana
toimivassa sotaoikeudessa. Tämän toverin nimi oli Davido Leone.»

Roman jalka polki lattiaa, mutta paroni jatkoi kylmällä, tyynellä

tavallaan.

»Viides seikka. Meidän sopimuksemme Englannin kanssa sisälsi

valtiollisten rikoksellisten luovuttamisen, mutta Davido Rossi läksi
pois Englannista. Hän muutti Amerikkaan. Siellä hän oli ensin
raitiotieosakeyhtiön palveluksessa New-Yorkissa ja asui tämän
kaupungin italialaisessa osassa, mutta sitten hän kohosi
köyhyydestään ja tuli sanomalehtimieheksi. Sanomalehtimiehenä
hän herätti huomiota uudella valtiollisella ja uskonnollisella
ohjelmallaan. Kristus on sekä kansojen että yksityisten laki, ja
maailma on parannettava isämeidän rukoukselle perustetulla
hallinnolla. Tuo uskonto oli kyllin sentimentaalinen voittaakseen
intoilijain suosion tuossa lukemattomien uskontojen maassa, mutta
se koski järjestyksen, omistusoikeuden ja isänmaallisuudenkin juuriin
ja saattoi käytännössä helposti johtaa kapinaan.»

Paroni väänteli viiksiään ja sanoi hymyillen: »Davido Leone hävisi

New-Yorkista. Siitä ajasta saakka ei ole löydetty jälkeäkään hänestä.
Hän oli lakannut olemasta. Davido Leone oli kuollut.»

Roma oli ottanut kädet kasvoiltaan ja hän hypisteli puseronsa

nappeja hermostunein sormin.

»Kuudes seikka», jatkoi paroni lyöden toisen käden peukaloa.

»Kaksikymmentä viisi tai kuusi vuotta Davido Rossin syntymän
jälkeen Roomassa saapui luultavasti noin viidenkolmatta-ikäinen
mies, nimeltä Davido Rossi, Amerikasta Englantiin. Hän läksi
leipuripuotiin Sohoon kysymään Roma Rosellia, tohtori Rosellin
tytärtä, joka oli jäänyt Lontooseen, kun maanpakolainen palasi
Italiaan. Hänelle kerrottiin, että Roma Roselli oli kuollut ja haudattu.»

Roman kasvot, jotka tähän saakka olivat olleet kalpeat,

punastuivat nyt, ja hänen jalkansa polki lujemmin lattiaan.

»Seitsemäs seikka. Davido Rossi ilmaantui Roomaan, oli ensin

viinurina
Grand Hotellissa, mutta kohta sen jälkeen sanomalehtimiehenä ja
julkisena luennoitsijana, ajoi juuri samaa ohjelmaa kuin Davido
Leone
New-Yorkissa ja herätti samaa huomiota.»

»Entä sitten?» sanoi Roma »Davido Leone oli Davido Leone ja

Davido
Rossi on Davido Rossi — siitä ei maksa vaivaa puhua sen
enempää.»

Paroni pusersi käsiään niin että sormet naksahtivat ja sanoi hiukan

kiihkeämmin:

»Kahdeksas seikka. Samaan aikaan eräs mies kävi Campo

Santon virastossa kysymässä, missä Leonora Leonen hauta olisi
löydettävissä, saman naisen, joka oli heittäytynyt Tiberiin
kuusikolmatta vuotta sitten. Köyhien haudat oli sillä välin kaivettu yhä
uudelleen, mutta viranomaiset ilmoittivat, mihin paikkaan hänet
kerran oli haudattu. Hän kustansi tuon paikan erottamisen muista
haudoista ja lankesi polvilleen sinne. Tuntikausia kului, ja hän oli yhä
vielä polvillaan. Vihdoin tuli yö, ja vahdin täytyi käskeä hänet pois.»

Roman jalka oli lakannut polkemasta ja hän nousi tuoliltaan.

»Se mies», lisäsi paroni, »ainoa ihmisolento, joka ikinä oli

ajatellutkaan hakea tuon kurjan itsemurhaajan Leonora Rossin
hautaa, oli Davido Rossi. Kuka on siis Davido Leone? — Davido
Rossi. Kuka on Davido Rossi? — Davido Leone! Ympyrän kehä on
sulkeutunut, asia on selvä.»

»Oh! Oh! Oh!»

Roma oli noussut ylös ja käveli kiivaasti. Hänen huulensa olivat

kokoonpuristuneet, hänen silmänsä säkenöivät ja hän puhkesi
sanoihin, jotka tulvivat hänen huuliltaan.

»Tuo vasta on konnamaisuutta! On kyllä totta, mitä sanoitte!

Semmoisella miehellä, joka uhraa elämänsä rikoksia etsiessä, on
itsellään rikoksellinen sielu! Hänellä ei ole omaatuntoa, ei
inhimillisyyttä, ei armoa, ei sääliä. Ja kun hän on ajanut takaa
ihmistä tämän äidin haudalle asti — äidin haudalle — hän voi syödä
päivällistä ja nauraa ja mennä teatteriin! Oh, en voi sietää teitä!
Inhoan teitä! Nyt sen kuulitte! Tehkää nyt mitä tahdotte!»

Kuolonjäykkyys paronin kasvoissa muuttui kiivaan tuskan ilmeeksi,

mutta hän pyyhki kerran kädellä otsaansa ja jatkoi hetken vaitiolon
perästä:

»Lapseni, sinä et ainoastaan loukkaa minua, sinä loukkaat

oikeuden periaatetta. Oikeudella ei ole mitään tekemistä säälin
kanssa. Oikeuden sanakirjassa on ainoastaan yksi sana —
velvollisuus. Velvollisuus käski minua nimittämään tuota miestä
oikealla nimellä, jotta hänen vastustuksensa, juorunsa ja paha
vaikutuksensa loppuisivat. Ja nyt oikeus vaatii sinua tekemään
samoin.»

Paroni nojautui uuniin ja puhui tyynellä äänellä, mutta Roma jatkoi

kävelyään.

»Koska Davido Rossi on parlamentinjäsen ja parlamentti juuri on

toiminnassa, voidaan hänet vangita ainoastaan parlamentin
käskystä. Sen saamiseksi on välttämätöntä, että
kenraaliprokuraattori ilmoittaa asian hallitukselle, hallitus
puhemiehelle, puhemies valiokunnalle ja valiokunta parlamentille.
Tuota ilmoitusta varten poliisi on jo koonnut tärkeitä
todistuskappaleita, koko sarja tosiseikkoja on otettu talteen. Mutta
vielä puuttuu positiivinen todistus, ja sitä ennen kenraaliprokuraattori
ei voi tehdä mitään. Se on arkin avain, keskipiste, jonka puutteessa
kaikki muut seikat menettävät merkityksensä. Jonkun täytyy voida
vaadittaessa vaikka vannoa tunteneensa sekä Davido Leone että
Davido Rossi ja voida vakuuttaa, että nuo kaksi ovat sama henkilö.»

»Entä sitten?»

Paroni, joka oli seisahtunut, jatkoi tyynellä äänellä: »Rakas

Romaseni, täytyykö minun jatkaa? Vaikka ministereillä ei olekaan
mitään tunteita, tahtoisin kuitenkin säästää sinua. En tunne muuta
kuin yhden henkilön, joka voi antaa meille tuon puuttuvan renkaan.
Se henkilö olet sinä itse.»

Roman silmät olivat punaiset vihasta ja pelosta, mutta hän koetti

naurulla peittää pelkoaan.

»Kuinka tuhma te olette kaikesta huolimatta!» sanoi hän, »Roma

Roselli tunsi Davido Leonen, ja Roma Roselli on kuollut ja haudattu.
Oh, kyllä minä tunnen tuon jutun. Te keksitte sen itse, ja nyt se
kaivaa kuopan teille!»

»Rakas Roma», sanoi paroni jyrkästi, »jos minä tein jotain siinä
asiassa, tein sen sinun hyväksesi, mutta olkoonpa sen laita kuinka
tahansa, se ei enää minua huolestuta. Roma Roselli ei ole kuollut, ja
minun on varsin helppo tuottaa henkilöitä Englannista todistamaan
sitä.»

»Te ette uskalla! Ette uskalla! Heidät tuomittaisiin rikoksen

yrityksestä.»

»Englannissa, mutta ei Italiassa.»

 Roman katse laskeutui, ja paroni alkoi puhua lempeästi:

»Lapseni, älä koeta taistella minun kanssani. On niin kiusallista

saattaa sinut vaikenemaan… On ehkä luonnollista, että tunnet
myötätuntoisuutta heikompaa puolta kohtaan. Se on kaikkien naisten
suloinen ja viehättävä, mutta epäjohdonmukainen tapa. Sinun ei
tarvitse pelätä, että Davido Rossi mestataan, vaikka hänet
vangitaankin. Hänen täytyy kärsiä uusi tutkimus, häntä puolustetaan
ja hänen tuomionsa muutetaan vankeudeksi tai pyyhitään pois
kokonaan. Siinä kaikki.»

»Ja te tahdotte minua auttamaan teitä tuossa?»

»Niin.»

»En tahdo!»

»Siis voisit, jos tahtoisit?»

»En voi!»

»Ensimmäinen vastauksesi oli oikeampi, lapseni.»

»No olkoon niin sitten! En tahdo! En tahdo! Ettekö häpeä pyytää

minulta sellaista? Oman kertomuksenne mukaan Davido Leone oli
isäni ystävä, ja kuitenkin tahdotte, että minä antaisin hänet oikeuden
käsiin, joka tuomitsisi hänet ehkä elinkautiseen vankeuteen ja
ainakin poistaisi hänet parlamentista. Luuletteko, että voisin pettää
noin kurjasti? Arvosteletteko kaikkia itsenne mukaan?… Ah, kyllä
minä tunnen sen jutun! Hävetkää!»

Paroni oli hetken ääneti ja sanoi sitten tyynesti:

 »En tahdo keskustella nyt tuosta asiasta kanssasi, lapseni — olet
liian kiihtynyt etkä tiedä, mitä sanot. Tahdon vain huomauttaa sinulle,
että vaikka Davido Leone olikin isäsi ystävä, on Davido Rossi sinun
vihollisesi.»

»Entä sitten? Sehän on minun oma asiani. Jos minä annan

hänelle anteeksi, niin mitä se muita liikuttaa? Ja minä annan hänelle
anteeksi! Kenenkä muun asia se siis on kuin minun?»

»Rakas Romaseni, se on hiukan minunkin asiani, ja solvaus oli

aiottu sinun kauttasi minulle. Mutta en tahdo nyt puhua itsestäni…
Tuo seikka, että olet kokonaan muuttanut mielesi — kuukausi sitten
aioit… kuinka sanoisin… pettää tuon miehen ja nyt koetat pelastaa
hänet — se on selitettävissä ainoastaan yhdellä tavalla …. että
sinä… että sinä…»

»Että minä rakastan häntä — niin on laita», sanoi Roma ylpeästi,

mutta punastuen samassa ja vavisten pelosta.

Nyt seurasi kuolon hiljaisuus. Molempien pää vaipui alas, ja

äänetön veistokuva näytti katselevan heitä. Paronin posket
värähtivät huomattavasti, ja hän sanoi matalalla, käheällä äänellä:

»Olen pahoillani! Hyvin pahoillani! Sillä pelkään, että minun täytyy

näyttää toteen mitä sanoit, että nimittäin ministeri ei tunne ihmisyyttä
eikä sääliä. Minun täytyy ehkä ruveta näyttelemään aviomiehen osaa
kahden rakastuneen surullisessa tarinassa. Ellei Davido Rossia voi
vangita parlamentin suostumuksella, on hänet vangittava, kun
parlamenttikausi on päättynyt, ja silloin hänen asiansa on
todistettava julkisessa oikeudessa. Siinä tapauksessa sinun on
pakko esiintyä, ja vaikka olet kieltäytynyt yksityisesti todistamasta,
täytyy sinun sitten todistaa julkisesti.»
 »Siihen ette voi minua pakottaa!» huusi Roma kiihkeästi, aivan
kuin hän olisi keksinyt keinon.

»Miksikä en?»

»Se on minun oma salaisuuteni. Mutta sitä ette voi tehdä!» huusi
hän.

Paroni katsoi häneen aivan kuin saadakseen selville mitä hän

tarkoitti ja sanoi sitten:

»Se saadaan nähdä.»

Samassa kuului kreivittären ärtyisä ääni, joka kutsui paronia

viereiseen huoneeseen.
II.

Roma meni makuuhuoneeseensa, kun paroni jätti hänet, ja viipyi

siellä myöhään iltaan. Huolimatta rohkeasta käytöksestään hän
vapisi pelosta ja katumuksesta. Hän ei koskaan ennen ollut
ymmärtänyt Davido Rossin vaaraa niin hirvittävän selvään ja
käsittänyt omaa suhdettaan häneen niin välittömästi.

Oliko hänen velvollisuutensa tunnustaa Davido Rossille, että hän

oli heidän tuttavuutensa alussa aikonut pettää hänet? Siten vain hän
saattoi olla uskollinen rakkaudelleen ja ansaita hänen
luottamuksensa.

Mutta miksi hänen pitäisi tunnustaa? Tuo inhottava ajatus oli

kadonnut. Jotain suloista ja hellää oli tullut sen sijaan.
Tunnustaminen nyt olisi julmaa. Se järkyttäisi Davidon kaunista
luottamusta Romaan.

Mutta ne siemenet, joita Roma oli kylvänyt, alkoivat itää. Ne

saattoivat puhjeta esiin missä tahansa ja tukehduttaa elämän, joka
oli Romalle kalliimpi kuin hänen omansa. Jumalan kiitos, että vielä oli
mahdotonta vahingoittaa Davido Rossia ilman hänen, Roman, apua.
Mutta he saattoivat murtaa hänen tahtonsa ja pakottaa hänet
auttamaan heitä, ellei laki voinut suojata häntä. Jos hän oli
naimisissa Davido Rossin kanssa, ei mikään laki Itäliassa voinut
pakottaa häntä todistamaan miestään vastaan.

Mutta jos Rossi epäröisi jostakin syystä, jos hän viivyttäisi heidän
avioliittoaan, jos hän vastaisi kieltävästi tuohon kirjeeseen, jossa
Roma oli luopunut kaikesta turhasta häveliäisyydestä ja pyytänyt
häntä kiirehtimään heidän liittoaan — mitä sitten? Kuinka hän saattoi
selittää, mikä vaara Davido Rossia uhkasi? Kuinka hän voisi sanoa,
että Davido Rossin täytyy ottaa hänet vaimokseen ennenkuin
parlamentti hajaantuu, sillä muutoin käytettäisiin häntä, Romaa,
välikappaleena, jolla Davido Rossi erotettaisiin parlamentin
jäsenyydestä ja ehkä syöstäisiin vankilaankin? Kuinka hän saattaisi
sanoa: »Minä olin Delila. Minä läksin sinua pettämään, ja ellet ota
minua vaimoksesi, en voi sinua pelastaa!»

Iltapäivä oli kulunut pitkälle, Roma ei ollut syönyt mitään aamusta

lähtien ja nyt hän makasi kasvot pielusta vasten vuoteellaan, kun
äkkiä kuului koputus ovelle.

»Ateljeessa työskentelevä mies pyytää saada tavata teitä», sanoi

Felice.

Siellä oli Bruno sunnuntaipuvussa ja pikku Giuseppe, joka tänään

oli enemmän kuin ennen pienen jalopeuran poikasen näköinen.

»Kirje häneltä, neiti», sanoi Bruno.

Se oli Rossilta. Roma otti sen muistamatta edes tervehtiä ja meni

makuuhuoneeseensa. Mutta kun hän palasi hetken kuluttua, olivat
hänen kasvonsa muuttuneet. Pilvet olivat haihtuneet ja entinen
iloisuus palannut. Vilkas, iloinen ilme loisti niistä, kun hän kiirehti
vastaanottohuoneeseen, ja ilma tuntui olevan täynnä raikkautta ja
onnea.

»Hyvä on», sanoi hän. »Sanokaa herra Rossille, että odotan häntä
kohta… tai ei pidä sanoa sitä… sanokaa, että koska hänellä on niin
kovin paljon työtä, ei hänen pidä pitää sitä välttämättömänä… Oh,
sanokaa aivan mitä tahdotte», sanoi hän, ja valkoiset hampaat ja
säteilevät silmät hymyilivät.

Bruno, joka ei ollenkaan ollut kohottanut nyrpeätä naamaansa ja

pörröistä päätänsä, sanoi:

»Hänellä on kyllä paljon puuhaa nyt, kun tuo suuri kokous on

keskiviikkona, jolloin hänen huoneensa portaat ovat yhtä täynnä
väkeä kuin Santa Scala.»

»Vai on pikku Giuseppe vihdoinkin tuotu minua tervehtimään»,

sanoi Roma.

»Hän on kiusannut minua tuomaan hänet tänne siitä saakka, kun

lupasitte, että hän saisi ruveta teidän ovenvartijaksenne kerran.»

»Juuri niin. Herrojen pitää käydä tervehtimässä neitosia, eikö niin,

Giuseppe?»

Ja poika, joka oli piilottanut pyöreän päänsä isänsä taakse, pisti

esiin kasvonsa, jotka loistivat ilosta.

»Kuulepas», sanoi Roma iskien silmää. Soittokunta kulki juuri

piazzan yli mennessään pois Pincion puutarhasta. »Mennäänpäs
katsomaan niitä», jatkoi Roma ja ottaen kiinni Giuseppen kädestä vei
hän hänet kammioonsa ja asetti hänet seisomaan kirjoituspöydälle
ikkunan eteen.
 »Se on kuninkaallinen marssi, eikö niin, Giuseppe? Tunnethan
sinä kuninkaallisen marssin? Tietysti. Ja katsopas nyt kansaa ja
pappeja ja munkkeja ja ylioppilaita ja ajoneuvoja ja koiria ja
moottorivaunuja ja lapsia ja lastenhoitajia ja pikku tyttöjä ja poikia.
Se on komeata! Mutta katsopas, tunnetko sinä kuka tuo on — tuo
herra tuossa veistokuvassa?»

»Setä Davido», sanoi poika.

»Mikä viisas pikku poika sinä olet, Giuseppe.»

»Ei tarvita paljonkaan viisautta tuon tuntemiseen», sanoi Bruno

ovelta. »Se on mainio! Ihmeellinen! Ja se sulkee suun niiltä
kirotuilta… anteeksi, neiti, anteeksi.»

»Ja Giuseppe aikoo yhä vielä ovenvartijaksi?»

»Vallan vakavasti. Hän vakuuttaa, ettei hän vaihtaisi sitä virkaa

kuninkaankaan virkaan.»

»Se on oikein! Mennäänpäs nyt katsomaan emmekö löytäisi

mitään tälle tulevalle ovenvartijalle! Tulepas tänne, Giuseppe.
Autapas nyt minua vetämään auki tuo laatikko. Yksi — kaksi —
kolme! Siinä se on!»

Laatikossa oli suuri pahvikotelo, ja Giuseppen silmät säikkyivät

kuin mustat helmet.

»Mitähän tuossa kotelossa lie, Giuseppe? Voitko arvata? — No,

kuulepas nyt. Mistä pitäisit eniten, ovenvartijan hatusta, takista vai
kultatupsuisesta sauvasta?»
 Pojan kasvot, jotka olivat tähän asti loistaneet, synkistyivät ja
kirkastuivat vuoroon, kun tuo vaikea vaali oli tehtävä. Vihdoin hän
katsoi Brunoon apua hakien.

»Valitse nyt — mistä?»

Mutta Giuseppe hiipi isänsä luo ja kuiskasi jotain, jota Roma ei

voinut kuulla.

»Mitä hän sanoo?»

»Hän sanoo, että keskiviikkona on hänen syntymäpäivänsä»,

sanoi Bruno.

»Hyvänen aika! Silloin hänen pitää saada ne kaikki», sanoi Roma,

ja nyt alkoivat Giuseppen jalatkin tanssia.

Nauhat katkaistiin, kotelo avattiin, ja sieltä vedettiin esille komea

hattu ja takki ja sauva, ja sitten puettiin koko komeus Giuseppen ylle.
Kesken kaikkea Roman musta koira tuli haukkuen sisään, ja kun
Giuseppe marssi kammiosta vastaanottohuoneeseen, hyppeli koira
haukkuen hänen jälessään.

»Rakas pikku poika!» sanoi Roma katsellen lasta, mutta Bruno,

joka istui pää kumarassa, vastasi vain huoahtaen.

Roma katsoi häneen ja huomasi nyt, että Brunon yksinkertaiset

kasvot näyttivät hyvin huolestuneilta. Niiden ilme oli melkein
naurettavan juhlallinen, ja hänen silmänsä olivat kosteat ja himmeät.

»Mitä nyt, Bruno?» kysyi Roma.

Bruno pyyhkäisi silmiään takkinsa hihalla ja sanoi kiihkeästi:

 »Mitäkö nyt? Petosta — petosta, joka turmelee hyvän naisen
maineen — siinä kaikki. Eräs mies, joka on vuosikausia syönyt
teidän leipäänne, on valehdellut teistä, ja hän on konna ja kirottu ilkiö
ja minä tahtoisin potkaista hänet ulos tästä talosta.»

»Kuka tuota kaikkea on tehnyt, Bruno?»

»Minä itse! Minä juuri kerroin herra Rossille kaikki ne juorut, jotka
saattoivat hänet puhumaan teitä vastaan silloin paavin juhlapäivänä,
ja kun te pyysitte häntä tulemaan tänne, varoitin häntä ja sanoin, että
te aiotte kostaa hänelle nyt.»

»Niinkö sanoit, Bruno?»

»Niin juuri.»

»Ja mitä herra Rossi sanoi?»

»Mitäkö sanoi? Kumma ettei hän tappanut minua. 'Hän on hyvä

nainen', sanoi hän, 'ja jos olen koskaan sanonut muuta, otan kaikki
sanani takaisin ja häpeän'.»

»Niinkö hän sanoi?»

»Niin. Mutta piru oli minussa enkä minä uskonut häntä. Vielä eilen
pyysin häntä pysymään poissa teidän vastaanotostanne, sillä minä
olin nähnyt teidän veistokuvanne sinä aamuna, jona aloititte sen, ja
se oli irvikuva hänestä ja tarkoitti Juudasta.»

»Ja mitä herra Rossi sanoi siihen?»

»'Bruno', sanoi hän, 'jos Donna Roma olisi käyttänyt minua

vaikkapa itse paholaisen mallina, luottaisin häneen sittenkin.' Ja nyt